Home Improvement → Re: Stihl power equipment and ethanol "enhanced" gas

In response to MrIcehouse's comment about making Ethanol from sugarcane. I have viewed several documentaries about how Brazil became energy independent by supplementing petroleum with cane based ethanol. One of the things that our government does not mention, was described in the documentary is that cane based Ethanol has a higher energy content than corn based Ethanol. There is also Switch Grass which can be used to produce a higher energy Ethanol unfortunately US Agriculture has not converted to Switch Grass or Sugar Cane Ethanol production.

In response to Robotics comment, Aviation gasoline is anhydrous which means it contains no water. Water can freeze up in the fuel system cutting off fuel flow, stopping the engine and causing a crash. Gas pumps designed to pump aviation fuel have a final filter that contains a desiccant like silica gel to remove any residual water in the fuel.

Using leaded fuel in current automobiles will destroy the oxygen sensor and catalytic converter. Both are costly to replace.

Although the government claims that Gasoline with 10% Ethanol is safe to use in modern automobiles, when 10% Ethanol is used in late model automobiles that were not designed with fuel systems to accommodate Ethanol, the fuel system can still be slowly be damaged by corrosion of Aluminum parts and degradation of plastic parts.

Interesting read!

Thanks for posting this.

Ethanol from corn has exactly the same energy per gallon as ethanol from cane. Ethanol from switchgrass is the same energy per gallon as both of the others.
The energy used to grow corn and process corn into ethanol is greater than that to grow cane, so the net energy advantage goes to cane.

The fact is the auto and power equipment manufacturers have to make the equipment run on what fuel is available/mandated.

I disagree a little with you.

I think we neeed to force the the EPA into publicly retract their love for ethanol,

You assume EPA government bureaucrats have a conscience or common sense.
EPA made rules that 49-state gasoline must contain oxygenates during certain months, this could be achieved by adding MTBE or Ethanol. Pick your poison...